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Patch hails team composure in late win

7th March 2015


Last action hero Rhys Patchell hailed the composure of his team-mates after a late, late try - and his match winning conversion - saw Cardiff Blues stun Connacht Rugby at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.

Battling Blues produced a quite breath-taking finale on home soil as they kept the ball alive during eight minutes of injury time and countless phases before Joaquin Tuculet dotted down to wild celebrations.

Patchell then had to hold his nerve to kick the conversion to win the Guinness PR12 encounter 18-17 in the most incredible fashion.

“It was great composure from the boys because we didn’t get anything we wanted on the field in the first half. We were absolutely awful and there were a few stern words at half time,” he said.

“To be fair to all of them, it was great composure at the end to keep going not panic, not throw any silly passes or silly offloads. 

“I’m just grateful that Tucs (Tuculet) got a little bit closer to the posts to try and make the conversion easier.

“It’s pleasing to knock over the winning kick but the important thing is we have come away as a team with a victory and nothing else other than a victory was good enough.

“We dogged it out last week against Edinburgh and we have done it again tonight.

“I think maybe Chief (Dale McIntosh) and Johnsey (Paul John) would have been happier if we had won a bit prettier and hadn’t left it to the last minute, but a win is a win that is four points.

Despite the win, Patchell refused to get carried away and insisted Cardiff Blues had plenty to work on before an away trip to Ulster at the end of the month.

“We are pleased with the win, but let’s not get carried away,” he added. “We have two on the bounce now and have week off now because of the LV=Cup before we come back in to prepare for Ulster.

“These last two weeks have been great but we are not thinking we are world beaters. We have beaten two tough sides, but there is work to be done before we are the finished product.”